Uygur brothers Yakefu Mamuti and Yusuaili Mamuti turn the valve on poverty alleviation by inventing special valves to make running water available in winter for people living in areas where water in pipes is usually frozen.

Yakefu Mamuti, a water conservancy major who graduated from Shihezi University in 1996, came up with the idea and started a company with his brother Yusuaili Mamuti, who received technical training in water conservancy to produce such products in 2010 in Urumqi.

"So far, we have applied for 12 patents and obtained six," said Yakefu Mamuti.

As the valves have been sold to Kashgar, Hotan, Aksu and some parts of the Tibetan autonomous region, the company also set up branches in Tumxuk and Hotan to cope with increasing demand.

The small valve factory in Tumxuk, which was put into use in March 2019, has hired 25 people in total, among which were 18 people who used to live in poverty.

Ailijiang Balati, a technician at the company, said his salary reached over 2,000 yuan (around $300) per month, which is more than twice the income from his previous job.

Balati also said thanks to this job, his life had become better off, happier and more financially secure.

"The factory has created many jobs for locals. This has indeed improved its employees' lives, because it's a relatively high-paying job here and they can also look after their families at the same time," said Lu Yanming, deputy director of the poverty alleviation office of the 51st regiment of the 3rd division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.